Denise Copeland/Betty the BikeBetty near the bottom of the trail, where the first fairly straight and flat 1.5 miles is a good warm-up for the upcoming climb.

The Palmer Township Rail Trail in Easton, Pennsylvania is our go-to trail when the rest of the world is wet … which frankly was a lot of the time this past summer! It’s a good 14(ish)-mile round-trip on a fairly smooth wide paved surface.

The trail has not been particularly crowded on any day we’ve been there. You’ll spend a lot of the ride shaded by a thick canopy of trees - which is great on those hot summer days, and the bends and curves and changing scenery keep it interesting. There are water views (including a dam with a fish ladder), woods, farms, parks, manicured backyards and light industrial areas, all on the same ride.

We like to start at the bottom of the trail at Riverview Park in Easton, because there’s a definite uphill grade once you turn the first sharp corner at the 1.5 mile mark. Although it’s not terribly steep, the grade is constant until you pass over the old Rusty Rail Bridge at about 4 miles.

After that it flattens out for the most part, passing through tidy neighborhood backyards and a couple of parks at the top end of the trail. It’s all worth the initial effort, as the return ride back downhill is a speedy rush before you once again hit the flat area along the canal and roll back into Riverview Park.

The park has a picnic area and playground, as well as a couple of baseball fields. There's a fishing dock along the canal with more picnic opportunities. The field house offers clean restrooms and water fountains.

The first 1.5 miles of the ride is fairly flat, passing through the park and along the canal and the dam overlook. At the 1.5 mile mark you'll see a bench and a fork in the path ... turn right. (If you go straight, you’ll be heading down to the Lehigh Canal Tow Path - separate review).

You begin the next two miles with the uphill grade mostly though cool woods, crossing a couple of driveways and under a couple of highway overpasses. Along here you'll often hear target practice from the nearby "boat club."

At about 3.5 miles out, you’ll come to a quick downhill across a farm access road (it’s gated off, so usually no traffic), and then immediately back up the slope, past some cornfields before plunging into the shade again.

Denise Copeland/Betty the BikeAutumn colors the way towards the dip for the farm access road crossing. The gate is usually closed to any traffic.

Once over the aforementioned iron bridge, you'll enter a neighborhood area and then pass a small kiddie park on your left. You’ll be much more likely to encounter dog-walkers and kids on training wheels here, so be aware.

You cross two quiet minor roads, and then enter Fairview Park (there are restrooms here between the ball field and the basketball courts, and shady benches to take a rest on). This park is very active with various games and gatherings, and especially on the hot days we'll stop and watch the goings-on.

There's a grocery store through the bushes and across the road on the left of the trail. Watch this area, as park users refreshing their picnic supplies do tend to pop through the bushes and step back onto the trail with no warning.

Past Fairview Park, you will cross several more roads which get slightly busier as you move deeper into town and away from the more residential area.

After you cross near the post office (traffic from several directions - be careful), there’s a sharp right turn. You’ll pass a trucking depot and then come out at the top of a short steep hill behind a shopping complex.

Bear right, cruising downhill for a fast, fun curvy ride towards the next road crossing. This is a very busy highway, and there’s only about a 1/4 mile of uninteresting trail beyond this point - we don’t think it’s worth the effort and annoyance of the crossing, so this is our turnaround point.

FYI, there’s an ice cream place with outdoor tables to the left of the trail (facing the highway, behind the billboard) that looks like it would be a good break area to pick up a drink or snack (if you want to load back on all the calories you just burned off, that is!) … we’ve never taken advantage of it ourselves, but it's always busy.

So, when you are ready, turn around, ride back up the curvy trail PAST the hill just a short way, towards another busy road crossing (which gives you access to more food/drink opportunities if you want) … again, we do not bother to cross the highway.

We do this because it puts you in a good position to get some downhill momentum along with an easier attack angle, allowing you to get back up that short steep hill and begin your return trip. And that’s the last real climb you’ll have … as I said at the start, the mostly downhill return trip is your reward for all the effort at the beginning half of the ride.

Trailhead used: Riverview Park

Directions – lat/long: 40.665098,-75.242456

Riverview Park entrance off of Lehigh Drive, Easton, PA.

For easiest access to the trail, park on the upper (gravel) part of the lot, near the playground and picnic shelter. The trail begins between the playground and the ball fields. Restrooms are near the entrance to the ball fields.

You’ll see trail heading back out of the lot, which seems to cross the road into the woods and go towards town – it really doesn’t … it dumps you into private property and what a local called “the home for wayward yoots” – we were chased away when we went up there by mistake.

Recommended for: All bike types; is kid-friendly with several playgrounds and rest areas along the way.

Denise Copeland/Betty the BikeTunnel past the dam leading UP the hill.

Note: There’s also a trail at the bottom of the lot, along the canal near the fishing dock. This was the trail we took the first time we went here, as we parked in the lower lot and didn’t see the "real" trail – BIG mistake for our kind of riding and equipment!

This will run you about a half mile on broken pavement for a close look at the dam and fish ladders (OK, interesting so far) ... and then the trail takes a hard right through a short tunnel and climbs up an EXTREMELY steep, very long hill.

You’ll come up, breathing hard now, onto a neighborhood road with a wide bike path marked off on it leading to the left (as usual with these painted paths, it doesn't stay wide for long).

Then it’s up and down steep hill after steep hill for miles on-road, while being heckled by bottle-throwing teenagers cruising by in their boy-racer beaters. NO FUN unless you are a roadie, perhaps in training to do the Tour de France, which is SO NOT what we are in to.